"David defeated Goliath with a sling and a rock. He killed him without even using a sword."
Samuel 17:50
The sling is a prehistoric weapon probably dating back more than 10,000 years. The oldest known surviving slings were found in Tutankhamen's tomb, dating from 1325 B.C.E. And of course slings feature in the Bible, most famously in the story of David and Goliath.
A sling is used to throw a missile many times farther than is possible with the human arm alone. It consists of a cradle, or pouch, in between two lengths of cord. A stone is placed in the pouch. Both cords are held in the hand, and the thrower draws back his arm and swings the sling up and forward. One of the two cords is released and the stone is projected away.
As a weapon, the sling was a great success, being cheap to make, light to carry, easy to use, and relying on ammunition that was readily available. Not surprisingly, it became common all over the ancient world, except Australia where spears seem to have been preferred. A slingstone can be thrown by an expert up to 650 yards (600 m), farther than most bows could achieve, though with less accuracy. The Greeks and Romans introduced lead shot as an option for ammunition, although stones remained most popular. By the Middle Ages the sling had largely given way to more sophisticated weaponry.
